GARY | It's summer session at Indiana University Northwest, with two sessions of Kids College on tap. During its 25th year, class topics include "Future Mad Scientists," "Police Work" and "Math Attack," as well as basketball and volleyball classes.

Many parents are looking for ways to engage their children's minds and get them away from the television and video games during summer vacation. At IUN, the Kids College program offers two, three-week sessions filled with fun and challenging classes.

Kids College is a summer program that offers more than 40 classes for students 7 to 16. These classes relate to topics that hold students' attention while also teaching them concepts and information that will be useful to them during the school year.

Kids College is divided into three age groups: New Kids on Campus (ages 7-9); Young Juniors (ages 10-12) and Young Collegians (ages 13-16), with classes tailored specifically to their age.

The first Kids College session begins Monday and continues through July 3. The second session begins July 7 and concludes July 24. Each session features three, 75-minute class periods a day for each age group, the first beginning at 8 a.m. and the last concluding at 12:15 p.m.

Available in June for News Kids on Campus are: Future Mad Scientists, Explore Spanish, and Math Review for ISTEP at 8 a.m.; Sew What, The Artist in You, and Reading & Writing for ISTEP at 9:30 a.m.; and Phonics Fun, Creative Crafts, and Math Builder at 11 a.m.

June classes for Young Juniors include: A FUNdamental Math Review, Whip Through Writing, Basketball for Young Juniors, and Let's Be Civil - History Comes Alive, all at 8 a.m.; Super Science, Say It in Spanish, Reading Explorers, and Police Work, all at 9:30 a.m.; and Weird and Wacky Science, Volleyball Session 1, Read It/Understand It, and Writing About Us, all at 11 a.m.

Classes for Young Collegians in June include Crime Scene Investigation at 8 a.m.; The Big Math Attack at 9:30 a.m.; and So You Want to Go Into Healthcare Professions? at 11 a.m.

July classes for New Kids on Campus include: Spanish for Kids and Magic Numbers, at 8 a.m.; Beginning Ballet, Jewelry 101 and Learn French! at 9:30 a.m.; and Walking Through a Writing Wonderland and Reading with Dr. Seuss at 11 a.m.

Young Juniors can choose in July from Put on Your Thinking Cap, Story Starters, Be a Young Artist, and Reader's Theater, all at 8 a.m.; Simple Spanish, Word Problems (Math), Bubbles 101, and Whodunit at 9:30 a.m.; and Hip-Hop/Jazz Dance (limited enrollment), Scrap Yourself Silly, Bonjour!, and Volleyball Session II at 11 a.m.

Classes in July for Young Collegians include: Basketball for Young Collegians at 8 a.m., College-Bound Writers at 9:30 a.m. and Hip-Hop/Jazz Dance (limited enrollment) and Plan Your Future Success NOW! at 11 a.m.

This summer's basketball classes will be taught by IU Northwest men's head basketball coach Pete Trgovich. Volleyball classes will be taught by IU Northwest women's head volleyball coach Omar Vazquez. Most other classes are taught by IUN faculty or other area educators.

Tuition is $65 per student, per class. Registration hours are 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday, and 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

For more information, or to register by phone, contact Kids College Coordinator Joan Wolter at (219) 980-6805, or jwolter@iun.edu.

- For The Times